Pegasus is on the right track. The place to start is with a visit to her primary care provider, preferably with you along with her. At her age she could be having problems with blood pressure, glucose, hormones, bone density -- any number of physical things that can leave her feeling very sub-par. It's not uncommon for any of us to act needy and out of character if we're feeling vaguely not right physically.

In older people, bladder infections don't have the same kinds of symptoms as in younger people. They seldom have fever and don't have the same kind of discomfort as younger people. When a person your mother's age starts acting differently, forgetful, confused, almost demented, the very first thing to check is bladder health.

If the doctor gives her a clean bill of health, then's the time to seek psychological help.

Good luck to you. Your mom is lucky to have such a devoted daughter!